Including Particular Grating Characteristic Patents (Class 359/569)
  • Patent number: 11256012
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a dispersion apparatus. The dispersion apparatus may include an optical substrate; a grating layer on a first side of the optical substrate; and a light outlet layer on a second side of the optical substrate, the second side opposite the first side of the optical substrate. The grating layer is configured to perform dispersion of incident light into first-order diffracted beams having target wavelengths and transmit the first-order diffracted beams into the optical substrate, and wherein a diffraction angle of each of the first-order diffracted beams having the target wavelengths is smaller than a total reflection angle between the optical substrate and air. The light outlet layer is configured to extract the first-order diffracted beams having the target wavelengths in the optical substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xianqin Meng, Wei Wang, Jifeng Tan, Xiandong Meng, Xiaochuan Chen, Jian Gao, Fangzhou Wang, Qiuyu Ling
  • Patent number: 11243350
    Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to semiconductor devices for use in optoelectronic/photonic applications and integrated circuit (IC) chips. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to semiconductor devices having a reflector and a photonic component and a method of forming the same. The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device having a substrate, a photonic component arranged above the substrate, a bottom reflector arranged above the substrate and positioned below the photonic component, in which the bottom reflector has a plurality of grating structures configured to reflect electromagnetic waves towards the photonic component, and a top reflector arranged above the photonic component, in which the top reflector has a plurality of grating structures configured to reflect electromagnetic waves towards the photonic component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
    Inventors: Yusheng Bian, Bo Peng, Michal Rakowski
  • Patent number: 11194256
    Abstract: An optical diffraction component is configured to suppress at least one target wavelength by destructive interference. The optical diffraction component includes at least three diffraction structure levels that are assignable to at least two diffraction structure groups. A first of the diffraction structure groups is configured to suppress a first target wavelength ?1. A second of the diffraction structure groups is configured to suppress a second target wavelength ?2, where (?1??2)2/(?1+?2)2<20%. A topography of the diffraction structure levels can be described as a superimposition of two binary diffraction structure groups. Boundary regions between adjacent surface sections of each of the binary diffraction structure groups have a linear course and are superimposed on one another at most along sections of the linear course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Feldmann, Valentin Bolsinger, William Peter Van Drent, Jozef Petrus Henricus Benschop
  • Patent number: 11125935
    Abstract: An embodiment of an optical structure includes a core having first and second ends and a first side with a first grating profile having a first phase shift distributed between the first and second ends, and a cladding disposed around the core. Such an optical structure can be used in an electro-optic modulator (EOM), and can render the EOM smaller in size than currently available EOMs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
    Inventors: Matthew Wade Puckett, Neil A. Krueger
  • Patent number: 11105982
    Abstract: An imaging waveguide for a visual display includes a substrate for guiding image light therein by total internal reflection (TIR). An input grating is supported by the substrate for coupling the image light into the imaging waveguide. An output grating is supported by the substrate and spaced apart from the input grating for coupling the image light guided in the substrate out of the imaging waveguide for observation by a user. A gap filling overcoat is formed on and within the output grating, but not on or within the input grating. The material is characterized by a refractive index between 1.40 and 1.80 at 500 nm, absorption between 0% and 1% in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and % haze between 0% and 0.2% in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2021
    Assignee: FACEBOOK TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventor: Ankit Vora
  • Patent number: 11079522
    Abstract: Methods and apparatuses related to fiducial designs for fiducial markers on glass substrates, or other transparent or translucent substrates, are disclosed. Example fiducial designs can facilitate visual recognition by enhancing edge detection in visual perception. In example fiducial designs, optical features on glass substrates can re-direct light so as to present a bright image region. Such optical features can include surface relief patterns formed in a coating on the surface of glass substrates. An exemplary method for manufacturing the fiducial markers can involve transfers of a fiducial design across a master mold or plate, a submaster mold or plate, and a target glass substrate. A fiducial marker can facilitate the use of the substrate in a variety of applications, including machine vision systems that facilitate automated performance of manufacturing processes on input working material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Huihang Dong, Ryan Rieck, Thomas Mercier
  • Patent number: 11063407
    Abstract: An addressable vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) array may generate structured light in dot patterns. The VCSEL array includes a plurality of traces that control different groups of VCSELs, such that each group of VCSELs may be individually controlled. The VCSEL groups are arranged such that they emit a dot pattern, and by modulating which groups of VCSELs are active a density of the dot pattern may be adjusted. The VCSEL array may be part of a depth projector that projects the dot pattern into a local area. A projection assembly may replicate the dot pattern in multiple tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Jonatan Ginzburg
  • Patent number: 11061174
    Abstract: A diffractive optical element includes a carrier and a plurality of nano- or micro-scale rods arranged above a top side of the carrier, wherein the rods are arranged parallel to one another in a regular grid arrangement. A method of producing a diffractive optical element includes providing a carrier and epitaxially growing a plurality of mutually parallel nano- or micro-scale rods in a regular gird arrangement above a top side of the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: OSRAM OLED GmbH
    Inventors: Roland Enzmann, Hubert Halbritter, Adrian Stefan Avramescu, Thomas Hager, Georg Roßbach
  • Patent number: 10983257
    Abstract: A lithographic patterning of a resist is performed to create a mandrel over a substrate. A deposition of one or more functional materials on the mandrel is performed. And each functional material has a respective refractive index. A selective removal of the mandrel is performed to create a plurality of grating elements formed from the one or more functional materials. The plurality of grating elements are self-aligned and form a diffraction grating. Each grating element may have a heterogenous refractive index (e.g., substantial normal to and/or parallel to a surface of the substrate). The diffraction grating may be used in a near-eye display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Matthew E. Colburn, Giuseppe Calafiore, Matthieu Charles Raoul Leibovici, Maxwell Parsons
  • Patent number: 10966597
    Abstract: Exemplary apparatus and optical systems for forward and side view apparatus are described. These apparatus include a light focusing element, a grating element inclined with respect to the optical axis of the apparatus, and a transparent element. The transparent element has a proximal surface in contact with the grating element and an inclined distal surface. Such apparatus can be used as spectrally encoded endoscopy (SEE) probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: Canon U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamazoe, Anderson Mach, Zhuo Wang
  • Patent number: 10948714
    Abstract: A method of dispersion compensation in an optical device is disclosed. The method may include identifying a first hologram grating vector of a grating medium of the optical device. The first hologram grating vector may correspond to a first wavelength of light. The method may include determining a probe hologram grating vector corresponding to a second wavelength of light different from the first wavelength of light. The method may also include determining a dispersion-compensated second hologram grating vector based at least in part on the probe hologram grating vector and the first hologram grating vector. A device for reflecting light is disclosed. The device may include a grating medium and a grating structure within the grating medium. The grating medium may include a dispersion compensated hologram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Akonia Holographies LLC
    Inventors: Mark R. Ayres, Adam Urness, Kenneth E. Anderson, Friso Schlottau
  • Patent number: 10950293
    Abstract: A signal processing circuit is provided that generates output signals to be output from spatially different output ports based on bit combinations of an input word consisting of a plurality of bit signals. A distributed memory, a ROM and a DAC in which the signal processing circuit is used are also provided. A recognition circuit includes a serial port to which a bit signal is input and 2N output ports recognizing an input N-bit word and corresponding uniquely to 2N bit combinations. Output ports of the recognition circuit are connected to 2N input ports of an electric circuit. With no signal input to the recognition circuit, all outputs are constantly in a Low level state. In a case where a bit signal is input to the serial port of the recognition circuit, only one of the output ports corresponding to the bit combinations turns to a High level state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Salaheldin Ahmed Ezzeldin Ibrahim Mohamed, Youhei Sakamaki, Shinsuke Nakano, Kota Shikama, Yuko Kawajiri
  • Patent number: 10895672
    Abstract: The optical element has transmissivity in a first direction, and includes a plurality of first members each having a first surface that forms an element of first information. The first surface faces a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOPPAN PRINTING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akihito Kagotani, Soko Koda
  • Patent number: 10886295
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor storage device includes a stacked body, a first columnar body, and a second columnar body. In the stacked body, a plurality of conductive layers and a plurality of insulating layers are alternately stacked along a first direction. The first columnar body extends through the stacked body. The second columnar body extends through the stacked body, and is aligned with the first columnar body along the first direction. The second columnar body includes a second channel film. The first columnar body includes a first channel film, a core surrounded by the first channel film, and a conductive layer. The conductive layer is in contact with the second channel film of the second columnar body and the first channel film of the first columnar body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhito Nakajima
  • Patent number: 10884253
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for dynamic and reversible patterning of mask layers and manipulation and redistribution of energy sources such as laser beams. An embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus including a mirror-like thin film comprising a front surface and a back surface configured to reflect a laser beam; a layer of a mask material on top of the front surface of the mirror-like thin film, wherein the mask material is transparent to the laser beam and is dewetted by a heat source to create a height profile in the mask material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
    Inventors: Jonathan Phillip Singer, Tianxing Ma
  • Patent number: 10862269
    Abstract: A resonator is provided having a waveguide with a first boundary, a second boundary parallel to the first boundary, a first end, a second end, and a waveguide cavity at least partly between the first boundary and the second boundary. A first grating, having a period of distance a, is at the first boundary of the waveguide, and a second grating, having a period of distance a, is at the second boundary of the waveguide. The first and second boundaries are separated by a constant distance d. The first boundary may have a periodic profile aligned with a periodic profile of the second boundary. The periodic profile of the first boundary and the second boundary may be a sinusoidal profile, a square profile, or profile of another shape. The resonator may be suitable for use in a distributed feedback laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York
    Inventor: Victor Pogrebnyak
  • Patent number: 10838110
    Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed for an optical waveguide display configured for use with a near-eye display (NED) device. In an embodiment the waveguide display includes a light-transmissive substrate and an optical coupling element configured to input light rays to the substrate or output light rays from the substrate, the optical coupling element configured to deflect a plurality of wavelengths of an incident light ray collinearly for propagation within the light-transmissive substrate through total internal reflection (TIR). The optical coupling element can include a pattern of nano-structures that collectively form a metasurface on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Eliezer Glik, Hagar Edelstain, Bernard C. Kress
  • Patent number: 10747985
    Abstract: The present invention provides a nanostructure pixel sensor and a method for use thereof. A nanostructure pixel sensor includes a plurality of nanostructure pixels comprising periodic nanostructures. Every nanostructure pixel is designed to achieve a specific optical response at a given wavelength illuminated by a light beam. A nanostructure pixel sensor generates a wavelength-dependent image pattern, which is sensitive to the surrounding environment. The sensor described in the present invention utilizes image patterns to detect analytes and/or determine amount of analytes on the sensor surface or in the vicinity of the sensor surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Bo Xiao
  • Patent number: 10698202
    Abstract: A method including forming a substrate to form a template which includes areas of high relief and areas of low relief; and forming a high refractive index diffraction grating in the template by adding high refractive index material to the template to form a continuous low relief surface. The high refractive index material fills the areas of low relief and covers the areas of high relief of the template to form a high refractive index diffraction grating. The high refractive index diffraction grating includes the high refractive index material configured to have a low relief side corresponding to the continuous low relief surface and configured by the template to have a periodic side including areas of high relief and areas of low relief which periodically alternate in the first direction with the first periodicity and are interconnected by the high refractive index material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Jyrki Kimmel, Jan Eskolin, Toni Jarvenpaa, Jari Turunen, Jyrki Saarinen, Seppo Honkanen
  • Patent number: 10677988
    Abstract: An optical device including a waveguide microresonator, laid out to guide a light beam along a closed loop optical path; and at least one injection and/or extraction waveguide, optically coupled to the microresonator for injection and/or extraction of the light beam. The microresonator is composed of a plurality of elementary waveguides with a spacing between them, and located one after the other to form a loop-shaped layout. Among other things, the invention increases the sensitivity of the microresonator to the surrounding medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES
    Inventors: Salim Boutami, Boris Taurel
  • Patent number: 10605586
    Abstract: A photo-detection apparatus includes a light-shielding film, an optically-coupled layer, a photodetector, and an optical system. In the light-shielding film, light-transmitting regions and light-shielding regions are alternately arranged in at least a first direction within a plane. The optically-coupled layer faces the light-shielding film and includes a grating that propagates light in the first direction. The photodetector includes first photo-detection cells and second photo-detection cells arranged on an imaging area. The optical system is disposed between the optically-coupled layer and the photodetector. An image of light transmitted by parts of the optically-coupled layer that face each of the light-transmitting regions and light-shielding regions is enlarged or reduced by the optical system and formed on a corresponding one of the first and second photo-detection cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiji Nishiwaki, Kenji Narumi, Yasuhiko Adachi
  • Patent number: 10578946
    Abstract: A polarization grating for diffractive light deflection, having at least one liquid crystal layer on a substrate, wherein the liquid crystal molecules having a periodic change in orientation. The invention further relates to a light deflection device and a method for deflecting light. A polarization grating for an oblique incidence angle of the light is specified, in particular having high diffraction efficiency for the +1st order for a specifiable or variable incidence angle in a wide range of incidence angles. A polarization grating has at least one additional orientation change of the liquid crystal molecules such a way such that light of a specified polarization has a controllable angle of incidence and experiences a specifiable phase retardation upon passing through the liquid crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: SEEREAL TECHNOLOGIES S.A.
    Inventor: Norbert Leister
  • Patent number: 10564332
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to augmented waveguide regions. The augmented waveguide regions generally include pluralities of gratings having duty cycles and refractive indices. In certain embodiments, the duty cycles are different, the refractive indices are different, or both the duty cycles and the refractive indices are different. Also described herein are methods for forming the augmented waveguide regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Rutger Meyer Timmerman Thijssen, Wayne McMillan
  • Patent number: 10545270
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nano metal grating is provided. In the method, a patterned metal oxide film is formed on a surface of the metal layer through the formation of metal oxides in an oxygen ashing process, and the nano metal grating is manufactured by using the patterned metal oxide film as a mask. Thus, a drawback that the metal layer cannot be etched after the metal layer is oxidized is solved, and the metal oxide film is not only used as a mask to manufacture the nano metal grating, but the metal oxide film is also used as a protective layer of the nano metal grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: SHENZHEN CHINA STAR OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jun Hou, Macai Lu
  • Patent number: 10539734
    Abstract: A directional backlight unit is provided, including a light guide plate, a light source, and a grating that is formed on a light-emitting surface of the light guide plate. The grating is configured such that an intensity of one ray of light, of the light irradiated by the light source and diffracted and emitted by the grating, is greater than a sum of intensities of all other rays of light, of the light irradiated by the light source and diffracted and emitted by the grating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2020
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dongsik Shim, Dongouk Kim, Hyunjoon Kim, Joonyong Park, Jihyun Bae, Bongsu Shin, Sunghoon Lee, Jaeseung Chung
  • Patent number: 10525758
    Abstract: A security element (1) for a security paper, value document or the like, having a carrier (8) which has an areal region (3) which is divided into a multiplicity of pixels (4) which respectively includes at least one optically active facet (5), whereby the majority of the pixels (4) respectively have several of the optically active facets (5) of identical orientation per pixel (4), and the facets (5) are so oriented that the areal region (3) is perceptible to a viewer as an area that protrudes and/or recedes relative to its actual spatial form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: GIESECKE+DEVRIENT CURRENCY TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Christian Fuhse, Michael Rahm, Andreas Rauch, Wittich Kaule
  • Patent number: 10480736
    Abstract: A daylighting system (10) to be installed over an interior face (1001a) of a window pane (1001), the daylighting system (10) including: a light-transmitting device (20) to be disposed over an upper part of the interior face (1001a) of the window pane (1001); and a shading device (30) joined to the light-transmitting device (20) in such a manner as to be disposed over a lower part of the interior face (1001a) of the window pane (1001).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shumpei Nishinaka, Shun Ueki, Toru Kanno, Daisuke Shinozaki, Hideomi Yui, Tomoko Ueki, Tsuyoshi Kamada, Atsuyuki Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10473833
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a light modulation panel and a display device. The light modulation panel comprises: a color separation grating plate having a plurality of light-transmissive microstructures; a reception substrate located on a light exit side of the color separation grating plate and spaced away from the color separation grating plate; and an optical waveguide layer located on a light exit side of the reception substrate. According to technical solutions of this disclosure, the optical waveguide layer can modulate the exit light into collimated light. As a result, cross-color phenomenons of the display device can be effectively improved, and thereby the display quality is enhanced. In addition, by adjusting a structure of the optical waveguide layer, the exit light can also be emitted out at a preset angle such that the display device can be applied in occasions such as 2D display, 3D display or privacy protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignees: BOE TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO., LTD., BEIJING BOE OPTOELECTRONICS TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ruijun Dong, Xue Dong, Haiwei Sun, Chenru Wang, Lili Chen
  • Patent number: 10444419
    Abstract: A device includes an input coupling grating having a first grating structure characterized by a first set of grating parameters. The input coupling grating is configured to receive light from a light source. The device also includes an expansion grating having a second grating structure characterized by a second set of grating parameters varying in at least two dimensions. The second grating structure is configured to receive light from the input coupling grating. The device further includes an output coupling grating having a third grating structure characterized by a third set of grating parameters. The output coupling grating is configured to receive light from the expansion grating and to output light to a viewer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Samarth Bhargava, Robert D. TeKolste, Victor K. Liu, Christophe Peroz, Pierre St. Hilaire, Evgeni Poliakov, Jason Schaefer, Mauro Melli, Melanie West, Kang Luo, Vikramjit Singh, Frank Y. Xu
  • Patent number: 10436968
    Abstract: In some embodiments, compositions and methods comprising reflective flowable materials, e.g., reflective liquids including reflective inks and/or liquid metals, are described. In some embodiments, a surface is contacted with a reflective flowable material, thereby forming a reflective layer on the surface. In some embodiments, the surface is a surface of a waveguide, for example a waveguide for a display device, and the flowable material coats surfaces of protrusions on the surface to form reflective diffractive optical elements. Some embodiments include a display device comprising a reflective layer of reflective flowable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Marlon Edward Menezes, Jeffrey Dean Schmulen, Neal Paul Ricks, Victor Kai Liu, Zongxing Wang, David Carl Jurbergs
  • Patent number: 10371898
    Abstract: The present invention includes an optical waveguide with a grating and a method of making the same for increasing the effectiveness of the grating. In one example, the grating is at least partially covered by a liner layer disposed on at least a portion of a grating; and a cover layer disposed on the liner layer, wherein a first material selected for the core and ridges and a second material selected for the liner layer are selected to provide a difference in the index of refraction between the first and second material that is sufficient to provide a contrast therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Southern Methodist University
    Inventors: Gary A. Evans, Jerome K. Butler, Jay B. Kirk, Ruo-Hua He, Jin Yao, Guoliang Li, Xuezhe Zheng, Ashok V. Krishnamoorthy
  • Patent number: 10368056
    Abstract: A depth data detection apparatus and monitoring apparatus are disclosed. The depth data detection apparatus has at least two infrared light generators (11, 12) alternately operating, thereby ensuring that each of the infrared light generators has a sufficient power-off time while ensuring continuous operation of the system, so that each infrared light generator can reach its service lift as much as possible. Different infrared light generators can project infrared beams with different angles and/or from different positions, and the depth information obtained can be fused with each other in order to acquire the depth information of the object to be measured more completely. In addition, different infrared light generators can also project infrared beams to different areas or the same area of the space to be measured for their respective purposes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: SHANGHAI PERCIPIO TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
    Inventors: Minjie Wang, Yushi Liang
  • Patent number: 10320479
    Abstract: Optical systems and methods for transmission of multiple beams and direct detection of those beams are described. One transmitter for use in a free space optical communication system includes a broad spectrum light source and an optical component including a plurality of sections positioned to receive an optical beam produced by the broad spectrum light source. The sections of the optical component are formed to introduce optical path differences into portions of the optical beam that impinge on the optical component such that each section introduces a delay into a corresponding portion of the optical beam. The introduced delays cause each portion of the optical beam to lack coherence with other portions of the optical beam. A direct detection receiver detects the intensity of the aggregate beams and produces a signal with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The disclosed technology can be used with modulated optical beams such as intensity modulated beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Michael Birnbaum
  • Patent number: 10295841
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a diffractive multi-focal ophthalmic lens capable of generating at least three focal points in an optical axis direction using a diffractive structure comprising a plurality of zones in a concentric circle form. A composite profile is generated by overlapping at least two starting profiles comprising a plurality of zones in a concentric circle form, and an adjusted profile is generated in which at least one of phase and amplitude is adjusted by employing a zone of the composite profile as a subject in order to set an intensity distribution in the optical axis direction and determine optical characteristics, to manufacture the diffractive multi-focal ophthalmic lens for which the adjusted profile is provided in at least a portion of the diffractive structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: MENICON CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ichiro Ando
  • Patent number: 10278809
    Abstract: A multifocal eye lenses including an optical part, which has a first optical side and an opposite second optical side viewed in the direction of a main optical axis (A) of the eye lens, and which has a plurality of annular optical zones that at least partly encircle the main optical axis (A) and are formed on at least one side, and zones each have at least one main sub-zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss Meditec AG
    Inventor: Mario Gerlach
  • Patent number: 10222742
    Abstract: An optical phase grating produces an interference pattern rich in intensity and spatial-frequency information from the external scene. The grating includes an odd number of repeated sets of adjacent horizontal portions, separated by steps, that fill an area that radiates outward from a central region. At a given distance from the central region and within the area of the phase grating, each of the first horizontal portions is of a first width that differs from a second width of the adjacent second horizontal portions. The interference patterns produced by the grating can be processed to extract images and other information of interest about an imaged scene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Rambus Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick R. Gill, David G. Stork, Mehjabin Sultana Monjur, Luke A. Pfister
  • Patent number: 10162188
    Abstract: An optical element includes a first diffraction grating and a second diffraction grating. When a refractive index of the first diffraction grating at wavelength ? [?m] is n1(?) and the refractive index of the second diffraction grating at the wavelength ? [?m] is n2(?), n1(?) and n2(?) satisfy predetermined conditional expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yui Mizutani
  • Patent number: 10148941
    Abstract: Optical apparatus includes first and second diffractive optical elements (DOEs) arranged in series to diffract an input beam of radiation. The first DOE is configured to apply to the input beam a pattern with a specified divergence angle, while the second DOE is configured to split the input beam into a matrix of output beams with a specified fan-out angle. The divergence and fan-out angles are chosen so as to project the radiation onto a region in space in multiple adjacent instances of the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Alexander Shpunt, Benny Pesach
  • Patent number: 10085833
    Abstract: A method of designing a multifocal ophthalmic lens with one base focus and at least one additional focus, capable of reducing aberrations of the eye for at least one of the foci after its implantation, comprising the steps of: (i) characterizing at least one corneal surface as a mathematical model; (ii) calculating the resulting aberrations of said corneal surface(s) by employing said mathematical model; (iii) modelling the multifocal ophthalmic lens such that a wavefront arriving from an optical system comprising said lens and said at least one corneal surface obtains reduced aberrations for at least one of the foci. There is also disclosed a method of selecting a multifocal intraocular lens, a method of designing a multifocal ophthalmic lens based on corneal data from a group of patients, and a multifocal ophthalmic lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: AMO Groningen B.V.
    Inventors: Patricia Ann Piers, Hendrik A. Weeber, Sverker Norrby
  • Patent number: 10073004
    Abstract: An optical apparatus includes a diffractive optical element (DOE), having at least one optical surface, a side surface, which is not parallel to the at least one optical surface of the DOE, and a grating, which is formed on the at least one optical surface so as to receive and diffract first radiation that is incident on the grating. The apparatus further includes at least one secondary radiation source, which is configured to direct second radiation to impinge on the side surface, causing at least part of the second radiation to propagate within the DOE while diffracting internally from the grating and to exit through the side surface. The apparatus also includes at least one radiation detector, which is positioned so as to receive and sense an intensity of the second radiation that has exited through the side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brian S. Medower, Meng Zhang
  • Patent number: 10067347
    Abstract: An apparatus for use in replicating an image associated with an input-pupil to an output-pupil, comprises an optical waveguide including input-coupler, one or more intermediate-components and an output-coupler. The input-coupler couples light corresponding to the image into the optical waveguide and diffracts the light corresponding to the image in at least two different directions so that light corresponding to the image is diffracted toward each of the one or more intermediate-components. The intermediate-component(s) is/are configured to individually or collectively perform both odd-order pupil expansion and even-order pupil expansion on light corresponding to the image that travels from the input-coupler to the one or more intermediate-components by way of TIR, and diffract the light corresponding to the image towards the output-coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
    Inventors: Tuomas Vallius, Jani Tervo, Pasi Pietila
  • Patent number: 10061125
    Abstract: An optical phased array (OPA) receiver selectively detects, measures and differentiates between the amplitudes and directions of signals received from different directions. Because the OPA changes the direction that it looks toward electronically and without the use of any mechanical movements, the OPA is fast, has an enhanced sensitivity, and can be used in a wide variety applications, such as lens-free imaging systems. The OPA is adapted to dynamically control the array of optical elements and focus on the area of interest. The OPA achieves a higher numerical aperture compared to imaging systems that use conventional lens, thereby effectively maintaining a relatively large field of view and collection area concurrently. The OPA may be readily scaled by increasing its array size. Furthermore, because the OPA is relatively flat, it is ideally suited for small form factor applications such as cell phones and tablets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Seyed Ali Hajimiri, Behrooz Abiri
  • Patent number: 10042241
    Abstract: A method for projection includes: emitting an input beam to a diffractive optical element (DOE); and diffracting the input beam via the DOE with a specific fan-out angle ? and a number of fan-out points N on a surface, wherein the specific fan-out angle ? and the number of fan-out points N fit the following equation: sin ? ( ? 2 ) = ( N - 1 ) 2 · ? K ? ? ? , where ? is a wavelength of the input beam, ? is a pixel size of the DOE, and K is an integer not smaller than N.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: HIMAX TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
    Inventors: Cheng-Hung Chi, Yi-Nung Liu
  • Patent number: 10038499
    Abstract: Optical systems and methods for transmission of multiple beams and direct detection of those beams are described. One transmitter for use in a free space optical communication system includes a broad spectrum light source and an optical component including a plurality of sections positioned to receive an optical beam produced by the broad spectrum light source. The sections of the optical component are formed to introduce optical path differences into portions of the optical beam that impinge on the optical component such that each section introduces a delay into a corresponding portion of the optical beam. The introduced delays cause each portion of the optical beam to lack coherence with other portions of the optical beam. A direct detection receiver detects the intensity of the aggregate beams and produces a signal with improved signal-to-noise ratio. The disclosed technology can be used with modulated optical beams such as intensity modulated beams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventor: Kevin Michael Birnbaum
  • Patent number: 10003276
    Abstract: The invention mainly provides a power converter (3) including a positive converter bridge (P+) and a negative converter bridge (P?), the converter bridges being of the diode bridge type and being connected in parallel, each converter bridge including a first series of arms of components connected to the phases of the first secondary of the transformer (2) and a second series of arms of components connected to the phases of the second secondary of the transformer (2), said power converter being characterized in that at least one series of arms of components includes arms (B1, B2, B3) disposed relative to one another in such a manner as not to be aligned in the same plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC TECHNOLOGY GMBH
    Inventors: Philippe Josse, Joël Devautour
  • Patent number: 9933577
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to semiconductor structures and, more particularly, to photonics chips and methods of manufacture. A structure includes: a photonics chip having a grated optical coupler; an interposer attached to the photonics chip, the interposer having a grated optical coupler; an optical epoxy material provided between the grated optical coupler of the photonics chip and the grated optical coupler of the interposer; and epoxy underfill material provided at interstitial regions between the photonics chip and the interposer which lie outside of an area of the grated optical couplers of the photonics chip and the interposer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: GLOBALFOUNDRIES INC.
    Inventors: Jeffery P. Gambino, Wolfgang Sauter, Christopher D. Muzzy, Charles L. Arvin, Robert Leidy
  • Patent number: 9891171
    Abstract: A sensing module including a sample loading layer, a sensing layer and an optical resonance layer locating between the sample loading layer and the sensing layer is provided. The sample loading layer includes at least a sample loading depression, and the sample loading depression exposes part of the optical resonance layer, and the sample loading depression is adapted to load sample. A surface of the optical resonance layer has optical resonance structures, and the optical resonance structures are located beside bottom of the sample loading depression or below the bottom of the sample loading depression. The sensing layer is configured to receive light and turn it into electrical signals. A sensing method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Personal Genomics, Inc.
    Inventor: Sheng-Fu Lin
  • Patent number: 9880393
    Abstract: A vertical dipole array structure includes a substrate that supports a film, which is not comprised of a negative-index metamaterial. The film includes a plurality of tilt-oriented portions and apertures. At least two of the tilt-oriented portions are separated by an aperture, and the tilt-oriented portions are configured such that incident radiation is redirected into a negative or positive refraction direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Hong Koo Kim, Yun-Suk Jung, Yonggang Xi
  • Patent number: 9851340
    Abstract: In some implementations, optical analysis systems use an integrated computational element (ICE) that includes a planar waveguide configured as an ICE core. In other implementations, the ICE used by the disclosed optical analysis systems includes a planar waveguide configured as a spectrograph, the spectrograph to be integrated with a conventional ICE.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: David L. Perkins, Christopher Michael Jones, Nagaraja Pai, Michael T. Pelletier
  • Patent number: 9835787
    Abstract: A light guide plate includes a main body having a light receiving edge and an opposite side, the opposite side being opposite from the light receiving edge; at least one variant portion having a protruded portion that protrudes from the main body from the opposite side, the at least one variant portion defining a hole vertically passing through the main body; and an optical pattern provided in the at least one variant portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: LG Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: SangHyun Lee, JaeJung Han, YongJoong Yoon, Hyosung Lee